Near, yet far
by sister-forever
Summary: Natsume, I lo-" without waiting for me to continue, he planted a kiss on my lips. Slowly I closed my eyes letting my tears roll down my cheecks, wishing that time will stop...
1. The new beginning

**Chapter One: The Beginning**

Etsuko: Hello all~ This is my first chapter of my first solo piece. Hope you guys like it. May have plenty of grammatical errors… I will try my best to write a flawless piece.

And I do not own GA and the language I am writing in. I don't even own the website. I do not own anything here, except for this idea, or storyline.

Please guide me well. And please read and review~

* * *

Natsume's Pov

As usual, sitting below an almost bald cherry tree, I am reading my comic book. _It's another long and boring day…_. I rolled my eyes and place the book over my head as I leaned against the rough, woody trunk.

"Oh! Look Hotaru! There is Natsume, let's tell him the good news we have found!"

Although I did not see that person's face, it is clearly that that person is Mikan. Even upon hearing my name, I did not budge. I did not know that could feel the excitement flowing out of her small body from miles away. Feeling the vibration on the ground as she was approaching, I pretended to be asleep.

"Natsume Hyuuga! Stop pretending, I can tell, you know!" her voice came booming into my ears.

_I don't know how Mikan always have a way to tell whether I am asleep._

Unable to fake any longer, I removed my comic. "What?" I mumbled.

"Ne~ Ne~ have you heard? The place you are migrating to is a tropical country! It means that it is warm throughout the year!" Mikan exclaimed with her eyes shining.

_Warm huh? I don't care about that._

"You will be able to find a wide variety of food there as it is a multi-cultural country." Hotaru added to her best friend's piece of information.

"Geez… Hotaru, why are you always thinking of food?" Mikan gave a cheerful laugh as she commented on Hotaru's statement. 

_Migrate… doesn't seem exciting to me. But it seems to be in Mikan and the rest's point of view. Don't really understand why they keep saying that I am lucky to leave this school. Am I really that lucky? Am I lucky to leave my friends and everything here? I don't think so._

"Anything else? If not, oyasumi." With that, I placed my book back into position and closed my eyes.

"Eh! Natsume, we haven't talk finish yet!" my senses are telling me that she is pouting. I chuckled to myself at the thought.

"Let's go Mikan, I feel hungry."

_Feeling their presences are gone, I went into my dreamland_.

Hotaru's PoV Ruka's Bedroom

"Are you sure? You can't back out after you agreed to join forces with me," I warned Ruka while eating crab brains directly from the tin.

I could see he is making his final decision.

"So?" I asked him, waiting for his reply.

"Okay. Provided if it will 100% succeed."

"So meanwhile, you get even closer to Mikan as well as Natsume .If you know what I mean." Ordering Ruka, I finished my snack while leaving a big green circle on my face.

"I got it. Leave it to me." He assured me.

Still, I am worried… looks like I have no choice but to leave it to him as I have other things to do.

"Found you, Ho-ta-ru~" Mikan skipped into the room without warning.

"Ah." _Did she hear anything? I hope not._

"Oh, Sakura-san hello." The blond greeted the brunette with a smile.

"Hello Luca-pyon~" she chirped excitedly.

"Do you have anything for me?" I asked immediately, trying my best to sense for clues of whether she overheard our conversation

"Ah! I wanted to ask you whether you want to throw a surprise farewell party for Natsume." Enthusiastically, she suggested an appealing idea to me.

Nodding my head, I wondered what kind of party to organize.

"Let's hold a grand party!" Mikan spread her arms wide in a circular motion. "And let's invite everyone to come! What do you think, Luca-pyon?"

"U-uh. I agree with you." Ruka sounded unconvincing.

"Don't lie! Just say what you think." Mikan pouted.

_I wonder if it is really okay to leave things to Ruka… _

"I'm sorry." He apologized immediately. "yes, let's do it together!" this time more credible than before.

"OHHH! Let's do it together~" Eagerly, she jumped while throwing her fist into the air.

The next day

Mikan's PoV the classroom

"Ahh~ finally it's the end of lessons. Now I can relax to the maximum!" I said my thoughts out loud to no one in particular. Stretching myself, I walked out of the door.

At the corner of my eyes, I saw Hotaru and Luca-Pyon together. Unable to control my curiosity, I walked towards them.

"…… this is your chance. Do not forget your promise." I overheard a part of their conversation.

"Eh…? What promise?" Casually, I asked them.

"Eh!?" Luca-Pyon looked shock. _I wonder what did they chat..._

"Oh… it's nothing." Hotaru's expressionless face did not give me any clue to their discussion.

"Oh. I see… never mind then." Walking away to hide my disappointment, I felt left out.

As I walk towards my dormitory, I saw Natsume under the cherry tree reading his manga.

"Oi~ Natsume!" I ran towards him. "Have you packed your bag? Do you need help?"

His brown eyes looked at mine. "What you wanna do, polka?"

"Ah… I am just feeling bored. But… Never mind." I walked away again, feeling twice as disappointed.

_What's up with today? Not really a good day for me I guess…_

"Sakura-san…! Sakura-san…!"

Immediately, I spin myself 180 degrees clockwise and saw Ruka-Pyon chasing after me, holding his bunny.

"Yes?" I looked at the blond trying to catch his breath.

"Do… Do…" He panted with his hands on his thigh, causing him to bend his backbone. "Do… you have… time… now?"

_It felt as if it took plenty of energy for him to say this sentence… looks like he ran quite a distance._

"Free? Of course I am free! Do you need me for anything?" feeling happy that I am finally of some use today.

"Would you like to go to town to shop for the party needs with me?"

"It's my pleasure!" As soon as I said this, my heart felt lighter by a thousand times.

_I think I saw Hotaru standing behind the Sakura tree._

"Oi… Hotaru..!" I heard myself shouting at the dark figure.

"Eh!? Hotaru? I don't see her… who are you shouting at?" Ruka looked half shock, yet half confused.

"Ah…. Never mind…" I shrugged.

_Maybe it is my own imagination…_

The shopping district.

"Luca-Pyon, what do we need to buy?"

"Erm…"

"Oh look! That candy is so cute~" I exclaimed out of the blue, without listening to what Ruka-Pyon has to say.

"Oh Yeah… do you want one? Let me buy it for you."

I was shocked by this suggestion. "Oh! Thanks but no thanks." I could not accept such a costly gift. Besides, he do not have any reasons to buy me a gift. Its not my birthday yet.

"Oh I see…" I could sense disappointment in his voice.

There is silence between us.

I have to find a topic to chat… This silence is killing me. Erm… Ah! The upcoming prom. I haven't talked about it with Ruka-Pyon. Yosh~ Gambarimassu!

"Hey Ruka-pyon, have you choosen a date for the upcoming prom? I wonder who Hotaru chose…"

I think I saw Ruka-Pyon blushed for a second.

"Erm… I have choosen, but I have not asked her yet…"

Why is Ruka-Pyon getting all so tensed up?

"Oh… Who is she?"

I am getting more and more curious. Hotaru? Permy? Nonoko? Anna?

"Er… Ah! We need these for the party!" Ruka-pyon somehow sounded way too happy.

Back the campus

Natsume's Pov

"Natsume"

"Hm..?" I grunted without looking away from my manga.

"Natsume"

"Hm…?" I mumbled again, still reading my comic.

"Natsume"

"What?" feeling a bit irritated, I looked at the dark haired girl.

"Have you found a partner for the prom?" her expressionless façade faced mine.

Getting up from my comfortable seat, I looked at her before replying a no.

_For once, her face softens, not the same expressionless and stiffness like she always had._

I was curious, "Why do you ask?"

Without warning, she hugged me.

"I love you…"

Etsuko: So this concludes the first chapter of my first solo piece. Hope that you guys like it…

By the way, if you guys like Katekyo Hitman Reborn! And Gakuen Alice, my friend and I wrote a crossover for the above mentioned animes. It is called Resolution, ongoing.

*Gambarimassu = I will do my best!

Please click on the green box below. Thank you!


	2. Near, yet far

Near, yet far

Etsuko: Hey~ this is a new chappie for my first solo piece. Thank you very much for your support :D

My friend read chapter one and said that she wanted to kill me... hopefully she will not. Or else I will not be able to continue the story...

About being confusing sometimes, I will try to make it less complicated and maybe the story will flow nicely.

Thank you once again

Natsume's Pov  


Huh? 'I love you'? What are you talking about?

'Dom' the sound of a plastic bag dropping could be heard.

Almost immediately, both of our heads – Hotaru and me- rotated to the source of the sound.

The only thing I saw was Mikan looking like a stone. As if in slow motion, she turned and ran towards the town.

My body moved by itself. "Mikan!" My hand reached out as if it wanted to catch her small frail body. Still clutching onto me, Hotaru shook her head as though she did not want me to leave her.

_What should I do?_

I just noticed that Ruka was standing there, witnessing this whole scene. Looking at him with a desperate look on my face, he turned and chase after Mikan.

_Luckily Ruka got my message..._ _Now, what should I do with Hotaru?_

Mikan's Pov

_Baka! Why did I run away? Hotaru just confessed her love to Natsume, so why should I run away? It is normal for middle school students to date right? So why is it I felt so uncomfortable? Why? Why? Why!?_

Tears started to roll down my cheeks without me knowing the reason why. _Why?_ I keep asking myself that question. _Why?_

It suddenly started raining heavily, I am still running, I am still crying. _Why?_ Drenched from head to toe, I stopped in the middle of the path in the shopping district.

Sound of splashing water came closer and closer to me; I did not move. That someone came to a halt behind me. _Why?_ Unexpectedly, that person embraced me, holding me tight and close to his body.

"Mikan..." His voice came floating into my ears.

_Ruka-Pyon..._

"Just now you asked me whether I have a date for the prom, I told you I have not asked that person yet right?" He paused to let me recall. I nodded my head. "I finally found the courage to ask her." He paused again, leaving enough time for his words to sink into my head.

"Will you go out with me?"

His speech circled in my mind – especially his last sentence. All these are happening too fast for me to think clearly, my mind is spinning; I am feeling dizzy.

I passed out.

In the hospital

Coming around to find my mind still whirling around, I saw Ruka sleeping on the chair beside the bed. I saw Ruka awakening. I smiled at him, barely remembering what had happened yesterday.

"Oh you are awake! Do you want some water?" He handed me a cup of water.

Each sip I took from the cup, I remembered something- Some things that happened yesterday. The shopping trip with Ruka, Hotaru's confession to Natsume, and the feelings I sensed.

By the time I finished the cup of water, I remembered everything clearly. From the part when we went to shopping to the part when Ruka confessed to me in the rain. Not to mention the question I kept asking myself 'Why?'

_What should I do? Maybe I should jus-_

"Are you okay?" a voice interrupted my thoughts. Looking into his blue eyes, I could tell that he is genuinely worried about me. I have made up my mind.

"Yeah! I am fine!" smiling, as I handed him the empty cup.

Taking the cup from my hands, he stated calmly, "Don't worry about yesterday. It's okay if you don't want to, I am not forcing you." He gave me a small smile.

Even though his voice sounded calm, I could feel a wave of disappointment in his speech.

I shook my head as in disagreeing to his statement, "No, it's my pleasure."

As soon as I said it, his face lit up immediately. "Really!?"

I smiled at him as I nodded my head.

_It's going to be just fine..._

"From now onwards call me Mikan, okay?"

"M- Mikan-chan!"

"Yes?" I grinned at him.

He beamed back at me.

Ruka's Pov

In his room

"Mikan-chan accepted me! What about your side?"

"Natsume-kun said that he doesn't mind."

"So operation X is a success!" I was really glad that all things ended well.

"Found you Ru-ka~" I spun around to look at my lover.

"Yes. Let's go for lessons now, Mikan-chan" It surprised me how I was able to say her name with a "chan" so naturally, as if I had been saying it for years. "See you, Hotaru-san"

I held her small hand as we walked to the school building together.

On the way, Natsume suddenly appeared from nowhere and he seemed to notice us.

"Oh! Hello Natsume!" Mikan greeted as the dark haired guy approaches us.

I think I saw Natsume's eyes widening when he saw that we held hands.

"Congratulations." He had an expression that I have never seen before and he walked off before I could even say a word of thanks.

_Is he going for lessons?_

In the classroom

"Mikan-chan, let's sit together shall we?" I asked as we stepped into the classroom.

Showing the same smile as before, she replied "Okay!"

For a moment, everyone seemed to be doing their homework. The next moment, everyone was crowding around us.

"Oh my god! Are you two dating?"

"How long has it been?"

"Congrats!"

Only permy is fuming in a corner.

The only thing I could do to answer their questions is to smile and rub the back of my head with my hand. At the corner of my eyes, I saw Mikan looking really happy. And with just that, it made me feel glad.

Natsume's pov

As I walked towards the dormitory to pick up Hotaru, I saw Mikan and Ruka holding hands. Are they dating? I did not know. But I only knew that I am not really happy for them even though I am supposed to be.

"Natsume-kun, are you alright?" the person holding my hands asked.

"Yea."

I glanced at her. She looked somewhat different; more softer and gentler.

Flashback

"Mikan!" My hand reached out as if it wanted to catch the small frail body. Still clutching onto me, Hotaru shook her head as though she did not want me to leave her.

_What should I do?_

I just noticed that Ruka was standing there, witnessing this whole scene. Looking at him with a desperate look on my face, he turned and chase after Mikan.

_Luckily Ruka got my message..._ _Now, what should I do with Hotaru?_

"Don't go..." She pleaded me.

_What should I do? Hotaru did not do anything wrong to me, she did not do anything to harm my friends. It doesn't matter to me._

"Go out with me...."

"Fine. I don't mind."

Flashback ended

As we came closer to the classroom, we saw a crowd.

_What is that?_

Approaching the crowd, we realised that the source of the swarm is actually Ruka and Mikan.

_What is going on here? What's the fuss about?_

"Oh look! Is that Hotaru and Natsume together?"

"Oh my god!"

"Congrats!"

"How long have you been together already?"

Questions keep bombarding us. _Can't they leave us in peace?_

Finally for what it seems like hours, the crowd is dispersed due to Hotaru's statement. "One question and one answer, give me 100 yen."

Now, looking at us was the other couple. Yet, they seemed so far from us.

"Congratulations Natsume! Congratulations Hotaru!"

_Is it just me or Mikan's voice become somewhat less energetic?_

I just managed to mumble a word of thanks.

"Shall we go, Mikan-chan?"

_Since when did ruka started to call Mikan by her name and with a 'chan' at the back? Oh... I forgot that they are dating..._

Morning lessons ended, lunch break

"Natsume-kun, hungry?" Hotaru asked as she produced two bentos.

"um" I replied as I lifted up the lid.

I scanned through the classroom to look for Ruka and Mikan. However, there were no signs of them.

_I wonder where they went..._ _In the past, we used to eat lunch together. But now, it seems like we are drifting further apart from each other. I wonder why..._

_Mikan's Pov_

I could still remember the past when we ate our lunch together. But now it is only my and Ruka here together on the rooftop.

"The view here is good, isn't it?"

"yeah" I replied, giving him a fake smile.

And that question came back to me again.

_Why?_

A/N

Etsuko: So that's all people (: Hope you all liked my chapter two. This chapter I wrote within one day so I expect plenty of mistakes. Sorry. But nonetheless, I put in all my efforts to write this chapter, spending a lot of time to think what shall happen next.

Disclaimer: I do not own GA blah blah blah. We all know it right?

By the way, if you guys like Katekyo Hitman Reborn! And Gakuen Alice, my friend and I wrote a crossover for the above mentioned animes. It is called Resolution, ongoing.

Please click on the green box below. Thank you!


	3. What's wrong with me?

_What's wrong with me?_

A/N:

Etsuko: Hello once again! Just finished editing chapter five of the crossover – Resolution. Hope that you will continue to support me~ Anyway, let's cut the crap and let the story continue...

Mikan's Pov

_Why? I am not sure why but the feeling I am experiencing now is not right. The feeling is not there... I mean I am really happy to be together with Ruka, but it is different... why? What's wrong with me?_

"Mikan-chan, daijyobu?"

Ruka broke my chain of thoughts. "Er... Yeah." Giving him another fake smile, I secretly hoped that he will not ask anymore.

"You look very pale... Were the lessons too tiring for you?" Ruka appeared to be worried.

Looking into his blue eyes, I managed to say, "Yea... maybe I should call it a day."

"Okay, rest well. I will tell Narumi-sensei that you were not feeling well and went back to the dormitory to rest. Don't worry about the lessons; I will help you to take down notes."

I felt grateful deep down in my heart.

"Thanks."

Meanwhile...

Natsume's Pov

_I wonder what happened to those days when we used to eat lunch together. Right now, there is only me and Hotaru. Plus, the feeling that is supposed to be called 'love' doesn't feel right to me. I don't really like this feeling now. Oh! Where are Mikan and Ruka now? What's wrong with me?_

"Natsume-kun... Natsume-kun..." a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"hm?"

"Was the bento delicious?"

_I think I saw her blushing..._

I took a glimpse at the lunch box to find that it is empty. I did not realise that I had already eaten it all without tasting it.

"Err... Yeah... It was delicious." I told a white lie.

"Really? Then shall I make another one for you tomorrow too?"

_Is this really called love? Then why is it that the feeling is not there?_

"Natsume-kun... Natsume-kun..."

I spaced out for the second time.

"hm?"

"Natsume-kun, Daijyobu? You don't seem to be yourself lately... do you want to call it a day?"

I looked at her dark eyes.

"Okay. Maybe I will take a day off."

"Okay. Take care..."

And I walked out of the class.

Somewhere around the cherry tree

As I approached the cherry tree, I noticed that Mikan was there, staring at the light blue sky. I sat at the opposite side of the tree and we were alone.

"Natsume, can I ask you something?"

"Yea?"

"If you are supposed to feel blissful, yet you do not, what does it mean?"

_What does she mean? What is she talking about? Did something happen between Ruka and her?_

"Not sure. Why?" I replied cautiously to her strange question.

"Are you and Hotaru happy together now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind then."

_She sounds disappointed. I wonder what happened..._

"Did something happen between you and Ruka?" I questioned her.

"Nope. He was sweet and I feel happy. But I don't feel happy at the same time..." she pauses for a while as if she is thinking deeply. "What the heck am I talking about? It's nothing, Natsume... Don't worry."

_Is she trying to irritate me? What the hell is she trying to tell me? One moment you tried to tell me something weird, the next moment you changed your mind..._

For the next one hour, we were silently staring into the sky, looking at birds flying above us. Maybe it is what people call bird watching.

"Ne, Natsume, do you want to take a stroll with me now?" Mikan asked, breaking the tranquillity between us.

I don't understand why I agreed without giving any hesitations. _Oh well..._

In the shopping district

Mikan and I were walking down a boulevard somewhere in the shopping area.

"ne~ Natsume, how do you find Hotaru?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is she nice or gentle or kind?"

_Why is she asking me this? Anyway, what is she trying to tell me just now?_

"What about Ruka? Is he kind or gentle?" I counterattacked her, wondering what would be her reaction.

"Ruka…? He is gentle, he is sweet, he is kind, he is… Oh look! This is so cute!" She exclaimed when she saw a talking, white rabbit. I rolled my eyes.

_One thing that Mikan is good at is to change the topic. Whether she does it intentionally or accidentally, I do not know._

"Yes. So, he is? You did not finish your sentence." I look her, but she seemed to be ignoring my reminder.

"Isn't it so cute? Right, Natsume?" she turned her head to face me.

Somehow or another, our eyes met. I stared deeply into her eyes. I did not realize, until now, that her eyes have the color of hazelnuts- sweet, addictive and it somehow managed to suck me in. She blinked and I came back to earth again.

_It felt nice even just to stare into her eyes… What's wrong with me?_

Mikan's Pov

"Ne~ Natsume, how do you find Hotaru?"

I did not know why did I ask that question, but let's just say I did.

"What do you mean?"

"Is she nice or gentle or kind?" I heard myself asking.

_Stop! Stop asking Natsume all these weird questions!_

"What about Ruka? Is he kind or gentle?"

_I need to find a way to get out of this topic! Quick!_

"Ruka…? He is gentle, he is sweet" my eyes darted left and right, left and right hoping to find something… _Ah! Found it! _ "He is… Oh look! This is so cute!" pretending to be very interested in some white, talking rabbit and trying my best to sound as natural as I can.

_Yucks… This is so weird! Looks like I found the wrong object… _I sighed in my mind.

"Yes. So, he is? You did not finish your sentence."

_Ignore it. Ignore it. Pretend that you are very interested in this bunny…_

"Isn't it so cute? Right, Natsume?" I spun my head around to look at him.

_I don't know how our eyes caught each other. I gazed deeply into his dark eyes and it somehow pulled me into it. Yeah. Something like a black hole in the universe that Jinno-sensei told us last year. It's black and sucks things in it, similar to Natsume's eyes, I guess…_

My eyes started to hurt after opening for so long. I blinked. Somehow, I managed to get myself out of Natsume's black hole. However, it felt somewhat nice to get sucked into his eyes.

_What's up with me?_

Ruka's Pov

Alone with Hotaru in Hotaru's bedroom

"Hotaru, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Why operation X is called operation X? Why is it not operation L or something?"

"Then why must it be operation L?" she countered me.

"L stands for love. Isn't it?"

She rolled her eyes. "The X in my operation X stands for 'X marks the spot'."

_Huh? I'm getting even more confused._

"Natsume and Mikan are our crushes right? They are also our 'treasure' right?" she pauses. "Pirates have treasure maps and the marked spot 'x' is where their treasures are buried right?"

_I think I get it, on the other hand, I think I don't. By the way, I wonder where Mikan-chan is now…_

"Hotaru, do you know where is Mikan-chan now?"

"I haven't seen here around and her room is empty. By the way, have you seen Natsume-kun?"

"Nope… he is not in his room either. Just now I went to check before coming here." I replied, wondering where they could have gone to.

"Ah! The Sakura tree!" we exclaimed in unity.

Almost immediately, we headed for that direction.

Mikan's Pov

"It's almost time we should be heading back right?" I took a quick glance at the big clock tower in the centre of the shopping district, it was almost 6 o'clock.

"Um."

"Thank you for today, Natsume!"

I really had fun shopping with him. Suddenly, the question struck me hard again. _Why?_

Trying to ignore all the 'whys' in my head, I put on a cheerful façade.

"Is there something wrong?" Natsume asked. I think he found out that something's bugging me.

_How did he know?_

"Nothing~"

"Oh. Really?"

"Ye- AHHH!" I accidentally tripped over the roots of the, now bald, Sakura tree.

His actions were too fast for me to follow. One moment I was about to fall, the next moment I was in Natsume's arms. _What happened?_

I slowly opened my eyes to find them looking into Natsume's. Once more, I felt like his black holes absorbed me into them. It felt nice…

The sound of footsteps on the grass could be heard. I snapped out of his captivating eyes immediately.

"Mikan… chan…"

Both of our heads sprung towards the direction of the sound.

The only next thing I could remember is seeing Ruka standing in front of us, with his blond bangs covering his eyes.

A/N

Etsuko: So, that's the end of chapter 3. Hope that you peeps enjoyed yourselves (:

By the way, if you guys like Katekyo Hitman Reborn! And Gakuen Alice, my friend and I wrote a crossover for the above mentioned animes. It is called Resolution, ongoing.

Please click on the Green box below. Thank you!


	4. Unexpected Turn

A/N

Etuko: Hello all~ I just realized it yesterday that I forgot to put disclaimer for chapter three... I am probably getting senile, even though I am still young... *Sobs...*

Please take note: I do not own anything you see on the screen now.

By the way, do you guys know why I update so fast? It is because I am pretty free these few days... no homework and such...

Aki-chan mentioned to me that she will be writing finish chapter 6 for our crossover soon. Therefore, I will edit it and post it up to you guys asap~

Please continue to support me~

Ruka's Pov

Thinking that there might be a possibility Mikan-chan and Natsume would be there, Hotaru and I ran to the Sakura tree. While running, all my thoughts were solely about my beloved girlfriend.

Left, right, left, right. My eyes started to feel sore. _Ganbatte! _Left, right, left, right again.

_Oh dear... What if something happened to her? _One part of me thought.

_Come on, what will happen in the campus? Maybe she saw something interesting and forgot about the time. _Another part of me argued back.

Out of the blue, I had a vision of Mikan-chan squatting down in front of a flowerbed, wearing a big flower hat with a pink ribbon. "Look! Look!" she would smile and pass me a blooming flower. After that, we would walk around the school grounds, hand in hand, admiring the magnificent view. Be it birds chirping in the trees, squirrels hopping from tree to tree to find their home, or even sitting down somewhere to look at clouds rolling past our heads from above... Anything! Or maybe hugging her under the tree like that coup-

I returned to my senses. Barely believing what I was witnessing now, I came to a halt.

"Mikan... chan..."

Covered by my blond fringe, my eyes tried to erase away that picture of my girlfriend in my best friend's arms. To stop myself from shaking, I clenched my fists forcefully. Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I tried to calm myself down.

My body felt like it has a mind of its own.

_This... _ I spun around, my back facing them.

_Isn't... _I wiped away the accumulating tears in my eyes.

_Real...!!! _ I began running away.

"Ruka!" I heard my stead shouting my name, but I continued running.

_Why? Why? Why? Why??? Am I not good enough? I tried everything I could to be an excellent boyfriend and yet, she chose Natsume? Since young, I had always been Natsume's shadow. Although I am his best friend, he took everything away from me! Therefore, I tried to be independent. I finally and successfully confessed my love to Mikan-chan, yet he stole her away from me! What am I to him as a best friend? I listened to all his burdens, I comforted him when he is upset, I... Are best friends supposed to be like that?_

Each step I took, my heart felt heavier. _It is not Mikan-chan whom I do not trust. It is my so-called best friend._

"Ruka! Ruka!"

By the voice, I could instantly tell that the person chasing me was Mikan-chan yet I kept on running.

"Ruka! Listen to me... Please! I will explain everything, anything!" she sounded desperate.

I stopped my pace. With my back still facing her, I demanded, "Fine. So how are you going to explain the fact that you and Natsume are hugging?" my voice sounded hard.

"I merely tripped over a something... there is nothing between us!"

_I hope that this is true... I believe in her._

"I am sorry..."

"Apology accepted" My voice sounded gentler this time. I turned myself around and hugged her.

"Promise not to leave me, please..." I whispered into her tiny ears.

I felt her head nodding on my shoulders.

And I felt really glad...

Natsume's Pov

After Mikan left my arms to chase after Ruka, Hotaru and I were alone.

"Let's go back, shall we? Everyone will be worried."

_Did I hear correctly? She is angry, isn't she? _

"Hotaru"

"Yes?"

Our eyes met.

_Strange... why didn't I get the same feeling like I looked into Mikan's? How come I did not get those sucking sensation?_

"It's nothing..." I faced back to the front again.

On the other hand, I could still feel her eyes on me.

_Try to ignore it... Just ignore it..._

Unexpected, I saw Mikan and Ruka hand in hand walking back to the dormitory at a corner of my eyes. I felt something I have never once encountered before.

_What's up with this feeling? Somehow, I don't want Ruka to be with Mikan... Geez... what am I thinking? I have Hotaru already. In addition, Ruka is my best friend. How could I even think of such thing? But, I don't like seeing them together... Argh... what's wrong with me?_

"Natsume-kun, if I were to leave you alone, will you miss me?"

"Why are you asking such a question?"

"Nothing... because I would miss you if you were to leave me..."

_What is she talking about? I am migration to Singapore in one month's time. That includes leaving her behind too. One month to make myself mentally prepared to completely start anew. _

"Oh..." I did not know what and how to reply her.

She stopped walking, I followed her.

"Natsume-kun, can you tell me that you will never leave me alone?"

_Shit. I am not mentally prepared for this. I need some excuse to get away..._

"I..." I tried to buy some time.

_I need something fast! Sadly, I am not as good as Mikan..._

"Natsume! You're late!" Koko suddenly appeared into the scene.

_Thank god... Koko, I owe you one..._

With a puzzled look on his face, Koko looked at me.

_Nothing... and don't you dare breathe a word about it._

I – sort of like – glared at him, unsure whether he got my message.

Just then, I saw Mikan and Ruka at the background hold hands and chatting happily.

_Mikan..._

Mikan's Pov (again)

Scene : classroom

It has been only a day since the Sakura tree incident happened. Time seemed to be passing slowly...

"Ahhh~" sigh to myself as I rest my head on the table. _Another long and boring day... How I wosh for something interesting to happen now..._

Immediately my wish came true.

"Mikan-chan, do you have any plans later?"

"Nope. Why?"

"Oh... I wanted to ask you if you want to follow me to the shopping area now. It seems that we forgot to buy some things..."

"Okie dokie!" I let out a shout of joy in my heart. _Finally I have something to do!_

Scene : shopping area

The memory with Natsume in this area is still fresh in my mind. But I think I forgot something that I saw here yesterday... oh well, if I can't remember about it, it probably is something not important.

"I think I saw you before..."

Both of us were startled by the sudden speech. Looking around, we attempted to look for the person who said that, but to no avail.

"Down here... not up there." The voice came again.

In unison, both of us scanned the floor at the same time.

Who would have thought that it was actually a talking rabbit?

I caught a glimpse at Ruka and found that his blue eyes were shinning.

"Ah! I suddenly remembered... you..." he pointed at me using his paws. "You were here, looking at me..."

"Really!?" Ruka's sparkling sapphire eyes gazed at me.

_I guess I have to lie to make Ruka happy... Don't mistake me! I am only telling a white lie and white lies are supposed to be good..._

"Yes." I forced a fake smile on my face.

The rabbit continued, frowning his eyebrows as if it was thinking deeply. "Oh! You were with someone..."

_Oh! I suddenly remembered! That disgusting white furball from yesterday! Please don't mention I came here with Natsume... No..._

"You were with a dark hair person..."

_Please don't say anything about Natsume..._

"A dark hair guy...!" exclaimed that long ears.

Ruka shot a suspicious look at me. Without thinking I stared at the ground, avoiding his gaze.

For a while, there was silence in between us. However, I could tell that plenty of things were going through his head.

"Mikan... Do you think that we..." he paused halfway, uncertain of how to continue his sentence

"Yeah. Let's break up."

.** .**

A/N

Etsuko: Well, that's the end of my chapter 4. Hope that you guys enjoyed yourselves here~

If you enjoyed my story, please click on the green box below. Thank you!


	5. Seperation

Etsuko: Hello guys~ I know it is a week plus ever since I updated. Mainly because 1) I fell sick while writing somewhere in the middle of the story. 2) This is one tough chapter to write, due to all the emotions and actions I have to think and reconsider...

Remember, I do not own anything here (except this storyline).

Please enjoy your time reading~

* * *

Separation

Ruka's Pov

"Mikan... Do you think that we..." I paused, thinking of a better way to phrase my sentence.

"Yea. Let's break up."

Dumbfounded, I stood there.

_What!? Did I hear correctly? I only wanted to say "Do you think that we should come clean with each other?" I did not know that Mikan actually feel this way. _

Many thoughts circled in my head then it became completely blank.

I took a step forward and wrap her in my arms. "This is a lie, right?" my voice was barely a whisper. "You promised me that you will not leave me... I wa-"

"Ruka! Stop it!" she pushed me away.

We stood there, staring at the ground for a second. It felt like eternity.

Her actions caught me unattended; she spun around and ran away, leaving me behind. The moment I realised it, she was already gone. Tears flooded my eyes but I managed to hide them by using my bangs to cover them.

_So, she is gone right? Leaving me alone like this... Natsume... Now, Mikan too... Why is everyone slowly leaving me behind like this? This is all... This is all... THIS IS ALL NATSUME'S FAULT!!!_

To cool myself down, I headed back the dormitory.

Mikan's Pov

Scene: somewhere near the Sakura tree

As I ran away from Ruka, I kept thinking whether I did the right thing.

_Did I do the right thing? When couples break up, they are supposed to feel unhappy right? How come I don't feel sad? In fact, I feel much more relaxed now... _

Stopped to catch my breath, I saw Natsume alone under the Sakura tree.

"Hello Natsume!" in a sing-song voice, I greeted him.

He faced me, looking straight into my eyes. I felt my face going red although I don't know why. Immediately, I avert my eyes.

"Yes?"

"Nothing. Anyway, have you packed your luggage?"

"Do you really want me to leave that badly?"

I could feel his gaze on me. _Avoid it. Avoid it._

"I was just asking." I continued to stare the floor.

Natsume changed his sitting position to the place where I am ogling. His dark eyes fixed into mine.

I felt as if I could hear his thoughts.

_Why are you trying to avoid my eyes?_

_I... I... I don't know!_

I saw his eyes grew wider, by a tiny bit.

_Anyway, you seemed very happy today._

_Oh really? _I laughed in my mind. _It's nothing. I just feel very relaxed now._

Again his eyes grew wider, by a tiny bit.

_By the way, if you need any help with whatever, you can alwa-_

"NATSUME!"

Someone broke our telepathy. Immediately, we looked in the direction of the voice and Natsume stood up from his comfortable spot.

Without warning, the 'someone' threw a punch at Natsume. He flew backwards. Without delay, I ran to Natsume's side. While propping himself up, he wiped away the blood from his mouth.

"Are you okay?" Worriedly, I asked him. Then I turned to the offender angrily, "Ruka! What are you trying to do!?"

"Mikan, we need to talk." He marched forward and grabbed my arm.

"Let me go! Let me go!" I screamed at the crazy blond in front of me.

"Wait... Ruka... Where do you think you are going after punching me without a good reason?"

"Without a good reason...?" he turned around and I could tell that he somehow snapped. "Without a good reason?" he laughed just the way mad people did in horror movies. "Is stealing everything, including Mikan, away from me a good reason for you?"

_Steal me... away...? _

"What the hell are you talking about!?" We shouted in unison.

"It's true, isn't it? Since young, I am always your shadow! No one really take notice of me! No o-"

_*SLAP* _

Leaving a red spot on his cheeks, I yelled, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? WHAT DO YOU REALLY MEAN BY STEALING ME AWAY!? I DON'T BELONG TO ANYONE! AND I DON'T BELONG TO YOU EITHER!!!"

Speechless, Ruka was rooted onto the floor. Slowly, he loosened his grip on my arms.

_Maybe I was kind of harsh on the last sentence..._

"What you mean by you doesn't belong to me..?" His voice was hardly a whisper. Then, he screamed at me abruptly "YOU ARE MY GIRLFRIEND!"

Shocked by his sudden outburst, I was paralysed for a second.

"Mikan, we NEED to talk." He grabbed my arm again. "_Alone._"

"Let me go! LEMME GO!!" again, I screamed at the crazy animal boy in front of me.

"Wait, Ruka."

Out of the blue, a ring of fire surrounded us. Instantly, I spun my head.

_There is only a person who can do this- Natsume._

"Let's all talk here and leave Mikan alone."

I was slightly shocked when Natsume called me by my given name, but it felt nice in a good way.

Bit by bit, he let go of me. "Fine. If that's what you want." Without further ado, he ran and threw a punch at Natsume. Luckily, Natsume skilfully dodged it.

_Wow! Probably that is the results when he went for so many missions persona organised. _

The moment I mentioned this in my head, Natsume got hit by Ruka. My head jerked up.

Showing no mercy, Ruka kept attacking Natsume; Giving him no time to recover from the previous blows.

My eyes widen, horrified by this scene.

_Natsume! Quickly hit him! No... Stop Ruka... Stop... _

"STOP IT!!!" Not realising anything, I released a huge amount of nullifying Alice.

I fell unconscious for the second time in the term.

In the hospital

I half opened my eyes to find the sun shining brightly in the room. I closed them again.

_Argh... my eyes..._

This time, I opened them for a second time, slowly.

Scanning the room, I figured out that I am in the hospital.

_What happened..? _

I raked my mind to search for memories from yesterday.

Randomly, images from bits of here and there started to fill my mind.

_Oh, Natsume used his Alice to create a fire arena... I slapped Ruka. Why...? I remembered Ruka said something offensive, but I forgot what... _

Little by little, my brain fitted the missing pieces together like a jig-saw puzzle. Even though I recalled the happenings, the scene whereby I mentioned a break up with Ruka in the shopping district kept replaying in my mind.

_Why did I say that? If I just shut my mouth for a second, all this would not happen... But I wonder why in my mind was Natsume when I broke up with Ruka... Natsume... he called me Mikan!_

I blushed at the thought.

'Knock knock'

Rapidly, I was snapped out of my thoughts and I saw a black shadow behind the translucent door.

_Natsume?_

"Come in!" I called out.

In a way or another, I felt a pang of disappointment when Hotaru stepped into the room.

"Are you disappointed that it is only me but not Natsume?"

_How does she know!?_

"Not really." I replied.

"I brought some fruits and a message for you." As soon as she placed the fruit basket down, she looked at me.

Fluffing the pillow, I placed it vertically and leaned against it.

"The letter?"

"I will hand it to you later. It must be read alone."

"Oh, I see."

While Hotaru smoothen her skirt before she sit on the chair beside me, I think of a topic to fill this awkward silence.

~Silence~

"Mikan" She paused. "I have decided to break with Natsume."

Etsuko: Hey guys! Hope you guys enjoyed this long awaited chapter. I know it's kinda short and I am sorry. However, I will do my best to write even more interesting chapters!

Please click on the words that show 'Review this Chapter'. Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry guys, due to my mid-year exams, I will not be able to post anymore chapters for the 4 weeks. However, I promise to be back in action once my exams ended (: Please continue to support me.

By the way, do you guys want a season 2 for this story? Please tell me what you think when you review. Cross your fingers~

Thank you (:

By the way, for the previous chapters, I would like to give many thanks to all my classmates for answering all my weird questions. I am sorry for asking so many weird questions like 'What happen if your bestfriend stole your girlfriend?' and 'Will you punch your bestfriend for stealing your girlfriend?'. Thank you for all your answers, cause they mean a lot to me and my story (:

One last thing, I am migrating to Canada this June and I would like to know more about the place. So, if you have anything to share with me, you can contact me at sophie_cheonghotmail .com

Thank you very much :D


	7. Hotaru's Love

Etsuko: Hello~ Finally after what-seemed like forever, this is chapter 6! I know that in this chapter, Hotaru seemed kind of Out Of Character…? But I tried to write this chapter based on her inner feelings, her "inner self". Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

My true first love

Hotaru's Pov

"Hotaru, are you going to the hospital?"

At once, my head jerked up and I spun 180 degrees around. Looking at my crush, I felt as if I am starting to melt.

"Yea." Somehow, I managed to answer him.

Fidgeting, he stared at the floor. After a while, he requested, "can you help me pass this letter to Mikan-chan? I mean, Sakura-san."

Catching a glimpse of his pleading face makes me feel like hugging him.

"Fine."

As I took the small brown envelope, a small wave of panic washed over me.

"Thanks. By the way, how are things between you and Natsume?"

"…" I don't know what I should say. I continued to stare at the envelope, hoping that he would somehow change the topic.

Fortunately, he did.

"Shall we go now?" with that, Ruka started walking towards the exit.

_What should I do now? No matter how hard and how much I practiced in my room, I always seem to be expressionless when I am with Ruka._

"Ahh… looks like my operation x lasted only for a while. But…" He paused.

I looked at him, waiting for him to continue his sentence.

Unexpectedly, he turned his head and looked into my eyes, "But… Thank you Hotaru, for giving me this chance." He gave a small smile.

My heart started to pound faster and harder, making my face turn red.

His smile turned into a worried frown. "Are you okay? Your face is red."

"Y-yeah is just that the weather is a bit warm." I gave a weak lie and tried to avoid his worried gaze on me.

"Warm! But it is winter now."

_What… What should I say now? Maybe Ruka thinks that I'm a freak that thinks that winter is warm… T.T_

"I mean, I wore too many clothes underneath. Bu- But it will be alright."

_Ahh… He is too focused on me… Help! I'm about to melt despite this cold temperature!_

I fought with myself to keep myself calm.

_Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breathe out… That's it girl, you're doing great… Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breat-_

"So you like the cold air? You seem to be breathing very deeply." His warm smile caused me to lose my concentration.

"Eh? Th- The cold air is really nice." For the second time, I lied to my crush.

"I didn't know that Hotaru likes this…" He gave a deep breath before continuing, "cold, refreshing air."

_Ahh… Ruka is just so cute…_

Out of the blue, I caught Mochiage-san running towards us.

"Ruka, Ruka"

With its ears upright and turning his head sharply, his rabbit seems to be very alarmed.

"So here you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" He paused to catch his breath. "Have you forgotten that we have to meet Narumi now!"

My true first love just stood there staring blankly at him.

"Do we…?" He paused for a while, trying to remember. "OH! I'VE COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT!"

He turned to me and looked right into my eyes. "Sorry Hotaru, don't forget… kay?"

With that said, both boys disappeared into the building.

I stood at the same spot, looking at the caramel colored envelope in my hand.

_Ruka… What exactly did you write? How much fun did you have dating Mikan over the past few weeks? Are you hoping to patch things up with Mikan?_

The last sentence of my thoughts made me feel a mixture of jealousy, envy, panic, and sadness.

_No use worrying about it now. Cause it is not meant for my eyes to see. _

_Ruka…_

Looking at the clear blue sky, I recalled my first encounter with him.

FLASHBACK

When Hotaru first came into the academy

I looked at my surroundings and gapped in awe. Trees filled the area.

_I did not know that Tokyo had this much land to plant greeneries._

I turned my head left and right non-stop, admiring the beautiful scenery around me. All of a sudden, someone ran into me, I fell down with all of my bags clumped in a mess around me.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry."

I looked at the beautiful blonde boy in front of me and gave him a nod. He glanced at the heap around me.

"You're a new student?"

And again, I nodded.

"Oh, I am Ruka Nogi, Nice to meet you." He shot out a hand and beamed at me.

I stared at the hand for a while before I shook it.

"Hotaru Imai."

"Firefly? Nice name. You're kind of- OH! RABBIT! WHERE DID YOU GO TO! I was looking for you everywhere!"Exclaiming, he hugged the rabbit closely.

_Rabbit? Animals? I love animals too, especially c-r-a-b-s._

After it seemed like eternity, Nogi-san released his bear hug from the suffocating rabbit and held it securely in his arms.

"Need any help?"

"Are you charging money for this?" my eyes stared suspiciously at him.

Giving a small laugh, his clear blue eyes gazed into mine. "Nope. Unless you want me to."

I pass some of my baggage to the blonde and we started walking towards the dorms while he told me whatever I needed to know about the school.

"… You can buy food from the canteen."

My eyes widened at the sound of 'Canteen'. "Do they sell crab brains in the canteen?"

He seemed somewhat taken aback. "I-I'm not sure about that, but you certainly can find all types of food in the central town."

My eyes shone brightly, causing the boy beside me to laugh.

"You seem like you really love to eat crab b-brains."

The corner of my lips curled up a little as I gave him a nod. Even though I know it was kind of weird to like crab brains but most people just underestimates the marvelously rich and sweet taste of it. Never judge a book by its cover.

"Maybe I should try it one day…"

My head immediately jerk up. "Really?"

I could tell that he was quite surprised by my sudden outburst. However, I couldn't help it. None of my friends, including gluttonous Mikan, would ever say something like tasting crab brains.

Ruka gave a small smile and said, "We've reached your dorm. Do you need me to put all of your things into your room?"

Instantly, I rejected. No boys have ever stepped a step into my bedroom before, and this was my proudest record. I will only give this privilege to whoever I think is worth it, maybe my future boyfriend?

After Nogi-san left, I slowly carried my bags to my room. Finally I struggled with the last belonging, I slumped onto the bed. My arms were screaming in pain. I turned my head and gaze at the deep blue sky.

FLASHBACK END

Ruka Nogi, the very first boy that introduced himself to me without the encouragement from Mikan. I knew that I am sort of anti-social, so most people don't really want to be friends with me. Therefore I wanted to be friends with Mikan. Because I got a feeling that she will accept me as whom I am. Ruka Nogi, the first person who ate crab brains with me in central town. Ruka Nogi, the first person who promised me that he will assist me in making my Mikan-robot number one. Ruka Nogi…

… _And that's when I realize almost every day, I'm thinking about him. At first I refuse to acknowledge the fact that I have a crush on Nogi-san, but the feeling grew stronger day by day, night by night._

I heaved a big sigh before continuing on my journey to visit my best friend.

Each step I took, I recalled the smile on his face whenever he talked about Mikan.

Each step I took, I remembered the tone he used to speak to Mikan.

Each step I took, I thought of the way he laughed at Mikan's clumsiness.

Each step I took, I recollected how I managed to convince that Ruka needed Mikan more than I needed him.

For a brief moment, I looked at the basket of fruits and the letter. I heaved another sigh.

In the hospital, outside Mikan's ward

_Okay. Finally I'm here. Calm down…_

Raising my hand, I knocked on the door twice.

"Come in!"

The door creaked as I opened it. The instance our eyes met, I could tell that she was disappointed.

My mouth just opened by itself. "Are you disappointed that it is only me but not Natsume?"

"Not really."

"I brought some fruits and a message for you." Getting back at the topic, I placed the huge expensive basket on the table.

"The letter?"

"I'll hand it to you later. It must be read alone."

"Oh, I see."

Smoothing my skirt, I sat on the chair next to her bed.

As I thought, there will be an awkward silence.

_I guess I'll have to tell her now, before it gets too late. But, why am I hesitating?_

"Mikan," I paused, unsure whether to continue the sentence. "I decided to break up with Natsume."

Her head jerked up, "Why!"

I wavered for a second. "This is the best for us."

She opened her mouth to speak, but she closed it again.

"Then what happened to you and Ruka?"

In great detail, she told me what happened ever since she started going out with Ruka.

"… and so, that is how I ended up here again."

I nodded, while processing these pieces of information into my brain.

_How I wish there are some crab brains here to boost my mind power…_

"Anyway, Mikan, it's getting late. I'm leaving, get well soon." Then, I suddenly recalled something. I reached into my pocket and pulled out that caramel colored envelope. "Like I said, this is the letter."

With that, I stood up and walk towards the door.

"Hotaru!"

I halted.

"Thank you very much for listening to me, I felt really relaxed now that I've taken away the load in my heart."

I smiled to myself and continued pacing towards the exit.

"Bye-bye."

I closed the door and leaned against the wall. Staring at the ceiling, I was deep into thoughts.

_What have I done? Why is it so complicated now? I got to do something before it is too late. I don't want to regret for my whole life because of my foolishness now…_

Outside, on the way back to the dorm

My legs stopped when I saw a familiar figure leaning against the lamp post.

_Why are you here…?_

"Hotaru, I need to talk to you."

My eyes widened.

"Me too."

.

.

A/N:

Etsuko: Hey, I finally got the inspiration to continue writing the story! Anyway, Canada is a really great place!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please continue to support me (:

Please review~


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